Power-transmitting mechanism.



J. C. CA'LDWELL.

POWR TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILEQ FEB. I7, i917.

1,261,693. Patented Apr. 1918.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATToRNEY Jam aaa/mezz.

TNTTED STATES PATEN T FFTCE.

JOHN C. CALDWELL, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHAN ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aar. 2, 1918.

'Application filed February 17, 1917. Serial No. 149,271.

`ful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a wave-motor and Iiiore particularly to a device for use in converting power from the undulations of the waves that especially occur in large bodies of water.

- The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanism mounted upon the side of' a vessel and associated with a float buoyantly supported by the surface of the water whereby the mechanism may be made to rotate a power transmitting pulley by virtue of the operation of the mechanism incident to the rise and fall of the vessel and the.

float caused by the undulations or waves of the water.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a single power converting ele ment in the form of a ratchet wheel associated with the operating mechanism in a manner that. will convert the up and down motiony into a rotary motion so that the power may be transmitted by a belt or other similar device.

The invention also aims to provide a power transmitting mechanism that will convert a reciprocatory motion into a rotary motionirrespective of whether the device is employed 1n connection with a buoyant float, a manually operated lever or a crank '.erence'is to be had to the following descripand connecting rod structure thereby permitting vehicles, machines and other mechanical devices to be actuated by the use of the device.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a wave-motor which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily sub jected.

For a full description of the invention and the advantages and merits thereof, reftion and the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which;

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a fragmentary portion of a vehicle showing the-device applied for thel ,purpose of transmitting power to the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 6-6 of. Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the details of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4 it will be observed that I have illustrated the mechanism associated with a vehicle and also provided with means for reversing whereby the vehicle may be made t0 move in either direction. 'lhe platform 21 is supported in any suitable manner from the shaft 22 the latter being journaled in the wheels of the vehicle. Disposed beneath the plat-form is a reciprocatory casing 23. This casing is provided witha plurality of longitudinal partitions 2-it which are provided with the large elongated openings 25 for establishing communication between the spaces or compartments 2G, 27, 28 and 29 formed by the partitions. The opposite side walls of the casing are provided with the elongated slots 30 through which the shaft 22 is extended whereby the casing is slidably held upon the shaft. Mounted between the partitions embracing the compartments 27 in the upper portion thereof is a plurality of pawls 31 which are similar in construction to the pawls 17 of the above described form, and which will be normally held in engaged position. In the same compartment at the lower portion of the easing is another series of pawls 3l the engaging edges of which are disposed in the opposite direction to the pawls in the upper portion of the compartment. A ratchet wheel 32 is fixed to the shaft 22 and, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the pawls 3l are engaged with the ratchet 32 for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the ratchet whenever a reciprocatory motion is imparted to the casing. Mounted in the compartment 23, in the 11pper and lower portions thereof, are two more series of pawls 33 which are mounted to extend in the reverse direction to the pawls 3l in the adjacent compartment. Another ratchet wheel 34 is mounted upon the shaft 22 and is spaced from the ratchet wheel 32 by a spacing sleeve 35. enough to cause the sprockets 32land 34' to be held in spaced relation fora distance equal to the distance between three of the compartments in the casing so thatwhen the sprocket 32 is in engagen'ient with its correspending series of pawls, the sprocket 34C will be disposed in the compartment 29 and,

therefore, out of engagement with its Corresponding series of aawls 33. In the reverse position, the sproc ret or ratchet wheel 32 will be disposed in the compartment 26 while `theratchet wheel 34 engages its corresponding pawls 33.

This construction therefore, requires the casing to be moved into proper relative p0- sition for obtaining a forward and a reverse movement when operating the device. rlhis is accomplished by a plate shown in detail in Fig. 4: which has a barrel 36 formed on one edge and its opposite edge has an' offset for a distance equal to the distance between two of the compartments in the casing. A cam slot 37 is formed adjacent this edge of the plate and follows the lines of the edge so that the outmost terminal 38 of the slot is disposed outwardly beyond the opposite terminal 39 of the slot for a distance equal to the distance between two of the compartments. Pivotally mounted upon the platform 2l is a shifting lever 40 one end of which is extended through the slot 37. It is obvious, that when this lever 40 is swung on its pivot, its end will bear against the edge of the slot 37 and force the barrel over to one side for a distance equal to the transverse distance between the terminals of the said slot. The barrel 36 is fixed to the side of the casing so that the casing will be moved on the shaft22 when the lever is operated. Therefore, the pawls will change their relative positions with respect to the ratchet wheels andthe same may be engaged or disengaged according to the direction in which thc vehicle is to travel.

For imparting the necessary reciprocatory motion to the casing l employ an operating lever 4l pivotally mounted upon the platform 21` and having its terminal connected to a connecting rod Ll2 which is joined to a shaft 43, carried by the casing, by a ball and socket joint 44. When the handle 41 is ref ciprocated, the necessary motion will be iinparted to the 'casing thereby moving the same to transmit the power to the ratchet wheels to which the` pawls are connected. The ratchet wheels, of course, being iXedly mounted to the shaft 22 will transmit the power to the wheels so that the vehicle may be moved in either direction by simply shiftj j ing the casing in the manner above described.

'nio-vement, a shaft received in the casing, the

- said casin being longitudinally and laterally mova le on the said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried .by the shaftgthesaid casing being' divided' into compartments, va series of pawls arranged in one compartment and engageablewith the ratchet wheel when the casing is in one position, a second series of pawls arranged in an adjacent compartment and engageable `with the ratchet wheel When the said casing changes its relative position with respect to the ratchet wheel, a lever pivotally mounted and having one end disposed adjacent the sidelof the casing, and means fixed to the casing and associated with the lever for imparting the necessary lateral movement to the casing when the lever is actuated.

2. A power transmitting mechanism coniprising a casing mounted for reciproca/tory movement, a shaft received in the casing, the said casing being longitudinally and laterally movable on the said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft, the said casing being divided into compartments, a series of pawls arranged in one compartment and engageable with the ratchet wheel when the casing is in one position, a second series of pawls arranged in an adjacent compartment and engageable with the ratchet wheel when the said casing changes its relative position with respect to the ratchet'wheel, a lever pivotally mounted and having one end disposed adjacent the side of the casing, means fixed to the casing and associated with the leverforimparting the neces* sary lateral movement to the casing when the lever is actuated, the said means including a plate having an angular slot for the reception of the said lever.

3. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a casing mounted for reciprocatory movement, a shaft received in the Casing, the said casing being longitudinally and laterally movable on the said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft, the said casing being divided into compartments, a series of pawls arranged in one compartment and engagcable with the ratchet wheel when the casing is in one position, a second series of pawls arranged in an adjacent compartment and engageable with the ratchet wheel when the said casing changes its relative position with respect to the ratchet wheel, a lever pivotal'ly mounted and having one endl dis- 51,15-

posed adjacent the side of the casing, va plate fixed to the casing and projecting laterally ltherefrom and provided with,` an angular' slot having` one end disposed outwardly in laterallyspaced relation to its opposite end,

`and a lever pivotally mounted and received in the said slot whereby the casing will be laterally moved when the lever is mounted throu wh the said slot;

4. power transmitting mechanism comu prising' a casing mounted for reci-proeatory movement, a shaft received in the-casing, the said casing being longitudinally and laterally movable on the said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried 'by the shaft, the `said peeing 3.30"

being divided into compartments, a series of pawls arranged in one compartment and -the said casing changes its relative position with respect to the ratchet wheel7 a lever pivotally mounted and having one end disposed adjacent the side of the easing7 a plate fixed to the casing and projecting laterally therefrom and provided with an angular slot having one end disposed outwardly in laterally spaced relation to its opposite end,

a lever pivotally mounted and received in the said slot whereby the casing will be laterally moved when the lever is mounted through the said slot, and operating means connected to the easing and including a {lexible joint whereby the said casing may be moved when the operating means is being actuated. l

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. CALDWELL. Witnesses W. A. KA'rsoH, R.' V. A'rmssoN. 

